Sam Blackie is an experienced Human Resources Director, with a specific focus on developing and implementing the strategic people agenda, leading complex change and working with a broad range of stakeholders.

Caroline is a Senior Scientist in the Division of Bacteriology at NIBSC, where she runs the group responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of a number of licensed meningococcal vaccines. She is also the current Chairperson of our Scientific and Medical Advisory Panel

Professor of Paediatrics and Molecular Diseases at Imperial College and St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, Simon is involved in research into the molecular basis of the virulence of meningitis and pathogens, and in new vaccine strategies to prevent meningitis and septicaemia.

Darryl obtained a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Swansea in 1993 and graduated with a PhD in 1997. Following a postdoctoral position in the University of Swansea, he moved to the University of Bristol in 1998, where he currently works as a senior lecturer in microbiology in the School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Tim obtained his BSc and PhD in microbiology from the University of Birmingham. He was awarded a Wellcome Trust Travelling Fellowship to work at Erasmus University (Rotterdam) before returning to the UK to take up a post-doctoral position at University of Leicester. He was then awarded a Royal Society University Fellowship.

Simon has been a Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care at St. Mary's Hospital and Imperial College London since 1994. He also trained in Paediatric Infectious Diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Ed trained at King's College and St George’s Hospital Medical School London, obtaining his medical qualifications in 1978. He had clinical training posts in internal medicine, clinical haematology and infectious diseases before commencing microbiology training in Manchester.

Hi, I’m Livvy. My meningitis story begins with my nephew Jack, now aged 8. When Jack was two years old, he became extremely pale and weak after he had been unwell at a children’s party a few hours previous.

Hello I’m Sophie. When I was 12 I contracted pneumococcal meningitis after suffering from a perforated eardrum. I was hospitalised for two weeks in intensive care at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, where I was fortunate enough to make a full recovery.

Hi, I'm Ross. In 1992, before I was born, I lost my four year old brother Dominic to meningitis after he had recovered from cancer. Being mistaken as tonsillitis on Monday because of the lack of awareness, he was sent home.

Hi, I'm Megan. My brother, Ted, had meningococcal septicaemia at the age of two. He is now sixteen. The meningitis that Ted had has affected his growth plates, and caused him many problems in his development.

In December 2010, I thought I was coming down with a cold. On December 21, I went to bed early and in the early hours of the morning I was vomiting, had diarrhoea, felt cold and had muscle and joint pain.

We lost our granddaughter, Maisie, in 2008, to meningitis; she was just eight months old. She was taken to hospital early in the morning of 15 October - she was sent home after being told it was just a virus.

Well known media doctor Dr Mark is medical correspondent at The Times, doctor on The One Show, presenter of Radio 4’s flagship medical series Inside Health and a GP at a doctor’s surgery in South Gloucestershire.

My reason for being a Young Ambassador is to raise awareness about meningitis, offer support and raise much needed funds, and to help Meningitis Now offer help and support to other families in need after being affected by meningitis.

Hello everyone! I am Louis. 10 years and 15 days before my birth, my family was changed forever when we lost my uncle James. Despite my never having met my uncle, I have seen firsthand what losing someone to meningitis really does to a family.

Hello, we are Barbara and Bob Johnson from Essex. We started supporting the charity in the days of the National Meningitis Trust after the death of our son James in May 1991 from Group 'B' meningitis and septicaemia.